A concert in the Edinburgh Society of Musicians on Friday 27th March will launch a new book about an Edinburgh music publisher who became the chamber composer to King George lll.
James Oswald was one of the most prolific British composers of the 18th century. He was also a major influence on Robert Burns and is claimed to have written the melody of God Save the King.
Born in 1710, Oswald was the son of the town drummer in Crail, in the East Neuk of Fife. He became a dancing master in Dunfermline at a time when knowing how to dance the latest steps was a social requirement.
After moving to Edinburgh he began tracking down, arranging and publishing Scots songs and tunes. He made a name for himself selling his song collections to leading players in Scots society, and in 1741 he relocated to London, where his collections and his own compositions were hugely popular.
Tom Davison, a retired Fife journalist, has written Thank You for the Musick: The Life and Times of James Oswald, setting Oswald’s story against the backdrop of historical events including the 1715 Jacobite rising and local food riots.
Mr Davison gives weekly talks on classical music in Cupar, near his home in Ceres, and it was while preparing for one of his presentations that he came across Oswald.
“I had never heard of him before and when I found that the lovely little museum in his birthplace of Crail had nothing whatsoever on display about him, I determined to rescue James Oswald from obscurity.”
Oswald died a wealthy man in 1769, having become master of a stately home, Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, after establishing himself as a major player on the London music scene and earning a royal warrant from George lll.
“His work went out of fashion as music trends changed,” says Mr Davison. “It’s heartening that there’s been something of a revival of interest in his music in recent years, however, and there are some fine recordings of Oswald compositions. Hopefully, my book will give renewed impetus to that revival.”
Thank you for the Musick: The Life and Times of James Oswald is published by The Hardie Press, which is run by Alastair Hardie, a fiddler and Oswald enthusiast as well as a book publisher. The book’s launch will be marked by performances of Oswald’s music by Hardie and friends, along with harper Karen Marshalsay, who lives in Oswald’s hometown, Crail.
“It’s a real rags-to-riches story, a fascinating tale of ambition and ability,” says Mr Davidson. “I’d like to think that I’ve played my small part in giving James Oswald the recognition he deserves.”